The Ericales are an order of dicotyledons. The following families are typical of newer classifications:

  • Family Ericaceae (heath family)
  • Family Cyrillaceae (cyrilla family)
  • Family Clethraceae (clethra family)
  • Family Sarraceniaceae (pitcher plant family)
  • Family Roridulaceae
  • Family Actinidiaceae (kiwifruit family)
  • Family Lecythidaceae (brazilnut family)
  • Family Sapotaceae (sapodilla family)
  • Family Styracaceae
  • Family Diapensiaceae
  • Family Myrsinaceae
  • Family Primulaceae (primrose family)
  • Family Theophrastaceae
  • Family Maesaceae
  • Family Ebenaceae (ebony family)
  • Family Theaceae (tea family)
  • Family Ternstroemiaceae
  • Family Sladeniaceae
  • Family Polemoniaceae (phlox family)
  • Family Fouquieriaceae (fouquieria family)
  • Family Balsaminaceae (balsam family)
  • Family Marcgraviaceae
  • Family Pellicieraceae
  • Family Tetrameristaceae

These make up a basal group of asterids. Under the older Cronquist system, the Ericales included a smaller group of plants, which were placed among the Dileniidae:

  • Family Ericaceae
  • Family Cyrillaceae
  • Family Clethraceae
  • Family Grubbiaceae
  • Family Empetraceae
  • Family Epacridaceae
  • Family Pyrolaceae
  • Family Monotropaceae